Son of Winter
by BrohasLudwig
Summary: Ivan is sent to China to assassinate a target. A certain subject, is an object of more than one desire. Will Ivan be able to carry out the mission or will he be the one taken care of for his betrayal. IvanxYao - Thanks for reading.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:****Son of Winter **

By: Brohas Ludwig

**Chapter one: **Birth place

His birth took place among the drifting waves of timber, in home land Siberia aka mother Russia. The birth was an unusual one blanketed in snow. A little one born in the bitter frigid harshness, made it almost impossible to survive. The tundra loved the boy, and kissed his forehead with fine sliver hair. The small boy's locks were almost like frost in addition his face appeared permanently pale. It was said that from the cold he survived, like it was the very thing that kept him alive. He managed to survive countless winters by the graces. Voices of the past echo in his mind till this day. They still call unto him.

"What shall we name the boy?" Said his father staring down at his son.

"I will name him Ivan," Said mother Russia with a tiny new born babe wrapped in her arms.

Mother did all she could for us until the winters came. Then the seasons changed and so did a mysterious illness. Mother passed on, but she smiled upon the family always. The cold called her far too soon, we were young, but not a day goes by when we do not carry her in our hearts. I think of her fondly and we ask of the family to do the same. One day her son wrote her a letter to her everyday, within separate a request of the family doctor. When the others could write no more, he solely wrote in hopes to keep his mother's memory alive.

We all grew up in the same house. Father worked for a new boss and was often away.

My eldest sister Ukraine, stayed behind and helped with myself and our youngest sister Belarus. Bella and Uni are often looking after me, but I have grown a bit stronger. I'm now taller than my dear sister's. I am their big brother after all mother.

_What of my two sisters? Believe it or not mother, growing up small didn't always have it's advantages. While I do adore my two sisters. They did have a tendency to be a little controlling. Like the faint memory of when we were young. _

Ukraine did the best she could to keep peace among the three of us. While father gave direction, Bella and I had minds of our own. At times it could be fun to play with along with my sisters and other times not so much.

In our wooden cabin, we would stay hidden away until the storm passed. While deep winter was on it's way we would wonder out into the fresh snow and play. Sometimes we would use the snow to make snow beards. Bella would often make snow angles, and sometimes we would even make snowmen. Often I would be lucky and father would catch my sisters before they picked on me._ Then there are other times that I am not so lucky and I become how does one put it? The butt one of a practical joke... Da?_

My big sister didn't joke much, but likes to laugh. She has a gentle and big heart. My little sister is kind of a fire ball, or a playful girl, if not somewhat of a troll. Like the time, I was buried knee deep in snow. Those girls do not play fair.

Like the time we planned on making snowmen. Bella and big sister, told me to play outside in the snow. While making snowmen, Bella accidentally rolled me up in a ball of snow that was suppose to be a base.

"Lil Russia, you are so cute your like a little snowman!" Bella the little sister inched closer and closer on her unsuspecting brother. Her eyes darted onto Russia.

"Ahh!" A scream could be heard from outside into the home of mother Russia's cabin.

"Row, row, row!" Bella skipped in the snow rolling and singing as she played with her brother. She rolled a smaller ball in the hands of a purple glove that matched her parka.

"Bella don't be a brat!" Ukraine stepped out of the house holding a soup ladle and scolded her little sister. That is before she seen her little brother wriggling around and stuck in a huge snow ball.

"Get me out of here!" Screamed a large snowball with rubber boots sticking out of it.

Ukraine stared at the unusual sight until she started giggling uncontrollably.

"Bella, I can't see and it's dark in here!" The small silver haired boy struggled making a threat.

"Ah, now little brother there isn't anything to be afraid of, it's just snow." Ukraine despite the cold walked outside wearing only a snow suite over her overalls. She dusted off snow bit by bit loosening the snowball enough to free the boy.

"Just you two wait, I'll become bigger than you someday, I'll be strong... so that someday... one of you will be calling me big brother!" The small boy wiped away tears, and grit his teeth.

Quiet broke over the almost deserted snow capped landscape. Then sure enough, both my sisters looked at each other then back at me laughing.

Ukraine giggled. "Sure you will." She cooed patting the small boy on the shoulder.

Bella Busted out a shrill so loud she fell back in the snow. She stood up and snorted. "That will be the day boy, yeah...Right he hasn't grown an inch in almost three years!"

_Luckily for me, my tan parka could be seen through the snow. I'm sure not, but Bella being the tricky girl that she is might have left me in there..._

"Someday, I will be the one laughing at you...You'll see."

Since I was very young, I had a fear of the dark, somehow believing it would catch me.

A crazy theory, but somehow I thought it would consume me. Darkness fades at the light of the moon, but I feared something worse at the expense of it spreading. I feared not behind closed eyes, yet before them I too would disappear, until there was nothing left to seek.

_Silly right? I too believe that everyone has had a fear of the dark or at least something like it. _

_Needless to say till this day no-one would catch me being bullied ever again. I would make it my life's work to become stronger._..

Next Chapter** : **So I welcome you to darkness, welcome to my madness


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Son of winter

**Chapter two**: So I welcome you to darkness, welcome to my madness

Today was my birthday once again, and today father was home. Ukraine smiled, and gave me a gift before the family. She waltzed down our burgundy wood staircase wielding a small round box wrapped in a silver ribbon. I opened the box to show a scarf that my father wanted me to have. A scarf almost as white as the snow.

"It almost matches your hair."

_My hair? Maybe my baby picture she means... _I thought to myself_. _I thanked her raising my arms to hug her. I had grown and my hair was starting to gain a bit of color.

Natalia...er um... my young sister Bella walked up to me silently. She stared at me for a moment and stretched my face out pinching both my cheeks.

"Ouch, what was that for?"

"Happy Birthday brother Ivan." Belarus pranced out the of the house wearing her coat and boots.

My big sister tidied the house while my sister played in the snow, and I chopped fire wood. I stood to the side of the house with an axe between a stump. Upon my last log of wood sliced in half Natalia sat in the snow further over nearest the cabin doors.

"Hey brother, look at me I'm an angel." My sister waved her arms back and forth through the snow as a carried wood to the storage near the house.

"Da Bella, you're a snow angel." I nodded at my young sister playing in the snow.

"No, not my children!" A voice could be heard faintly outside our home. Papa Russia was standing outside the log cabin while me and Bella where playing outside.

My little sister played in the snow and I sat in the snow watching father from a distance.

I didn't know much about anything yet I was still young. I knew nothing of father's work. Although, something told me that this strange newcomer dressed in black might bring trouble.

When big sister would ask father what he did as a profession he never explained himself well. Ukraine would ask questions about the many uninvited quests who arrived at our home. Why were they there?...I wanted to ask him for a long time... _Why was he always checking the time? I think about it now and there are a lot of things we've never talked about. _

Soon all of those questions and more would be answered. We were old enough now to know.

"Sorry, it's nothing personal." Said the man in dressed in all black.

"Wont you give them more time?" My father asked his long time co-worker.

"What of the boy?" The masked man chuckled darkly.

"It looks like we have another visitor," I spoke with my sister and paused. I heard the word 'boy' shouted from across the land. I kept my attention turned towards my father never turning away.

I watched, as my father argued with the man. He then fell over being struck in the stomach. My fathers red coat was the only thing I could see. I ran towards him, and he bellowed.

"Nyet! Get back, get your sister's and get out of here!"

"We don't have time for this, bring the others!"The strange man pulled a two-way radio from his pocket and spoke into it.

Tons of masked soldiers trailed over the horizon and rushed the house. I did as my father said, and ran back to the house.

"Bella you and big sister go into the house and hide to buy us some time!" I said thinking quickly. We did have others we could call on, but it would take some time. Our neighbors lived at a distance.

"What are you going to do?"

"Just do as I say Belarus!" I grabbed my little sister by the shoulders and shouted. I never used a tone like that with her. She peered over my shoulder with a look of dread and up at me. I pleaded with her to listen seeing how serious I was she did as told. I turned away to protect her only to find the enemy all around.

"Brother, help me!" There were three of them around my sister. Thinking on my feet, I picked up a log sitting in the snow and lunged at one of the masked men knocking them down. Not noticing their fire arms, I swung and beat the two soldiers with the log. Bella now free clung to my coat and we ran into the house.

"Ukraine!" I opened the door to the sight of my sister in the arms of two soldiers. Tears ran down her face as they handcuffed her. The armed men held my older sister against her will, and captured us as well.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked our captives trying to trying to free myself from their grip.

One of the things we were always told were never to ask questions. If things happened they happened for a reason. At least that is what sense I could make of it. Ukraine's eyes widened at my unthinkable action. One of the last things, I could hear was the sound of my sister's crying out to me.

"This isn't anything personal, it's war." Said the masked man and he raised his rifle and knocked me unconscious.

_If it was nothing personal, then why did it involve me and my family?_

The masked man's words stayed with me as I turned away. I turned take a glimpse of those I adored. All sound blurred as did my vision then everything fell silent.

I opened my eyes to a dark cell, and a cold concrete ground. Above me for Miles there was nothing but an endless spiral of what looked like prison cells. It was too dark to see, and too cold to move. I knelt and crawled toward a wall and I could feel steel bars. I put my arm through an opening.

"Bella... Uni... Papa!" I screamed but all that could be heard was an echo. Laughter followed.

"Who's there?" My voice crept painfully out of me.

"They took you away from home too?" Spoke a raspy voice.

"Da," I spoke back only out of question.

"There isn't anyone you know here anymore." Said another disembodied voice spoke back.

**Next Chapter **:My War boots ...Nothing personal.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter three: **My war boots nothing personal 

I soon got tired of hearing ear pricing cry as theses nobodies dragged cell mates through the halls. As I spoke with one of them steadily back and forth he and I were the other ones they kept for so long. Until one day it was his turn to leave.

"Hey, don't worry, things will get better. " Spoke a raspy voice from behind bars.

"How would you know that?" I whispered from the cell next to his.

"Because...I'm a spy." The unknown cell captive chuckled.

"Wait... what?" At first I thought the guy had gone mad. One too many days behind bars. Although he was one of the few people there who dared to talk to me, or speak his mind.

"Time to go you leech." Said one of the soldiers hoarsely laughing as they pulled the cell mates body through the hall.

"You take care now," Waved the strange man from the darkness of the hall.

"I don't know your name..."

"My name's Pete!" The captives screamed as the shut the steel doors leaving me in the once again silent corridors. That man was either foolish or very lighthearted. Either way I wasn't sure if I'd ever see that man again.

Soldiers placed me in a cell until I would comply with their demands. I was demanding as well, two who captured me that I could catch a glimpse of. They all wore dark clothes and some wore stars on their jackets. Some were dressed in dark olive suits and jet black jackets.

I lasted many nights so many I couldn't remember. I began to grow stubble and got use to my surroundings. After they released me from my cell they asked for me to join them. I kept with the same reply each time.

"I need to see my family first."

I did not want to give in, I knew that they were out there someone where. If not here where they kept me, but somewhere. Eventually they wore me down and I agreed to train with them.

I spent many days behind a cell of darkness before and after training. When I didn't eat I behaved worse than others days. I took the worst of what the organization could throw at me. The thought of escaping paled me, but for fear of my sisters' lives I wouldn't. I did not want to give into any demands. I only acted so to keep order.

Many soldiers spoke of family and friends. The thought of my sisters never left me.

Everyone in the cell blocks were gathered in a line of early morning drills, sniper training, communication, language training with our translators, and mid morning road call.

There were only three types of people in the program. Ones of great skill, those with questionable loyalty, and those who lead. I minded myself while approaching either one of them.

Anyone who became less than what I mentioned was never seen or heard from again.

Through testing time, and skill I survived long enough to become a soldier. I stood at a post after training.

A phone rung in a nearby office while I stood at my post. My eyes wonders as I notice no occupant at the office window.

I was promoted to watch the halls, while I was told one thing by those in charge I often thought there was more going on. What information I could obtain, and then with what I couldn't grasp was left to piece together myself.

An order was never given a second thought. Any mission questioned or order of action the operative was considered for evaluation. Others times soldiers not so lucky.

Our boss used us and many others to do odd assignments. Often if someone isn't needed or what one might call at times disobedient they are "taken care of."

I was assigned strange missions shipping, observations, translations, and execution.

obtaining information, was simple knowing the right people. Finding people after being separated here in the training facility was harder than skipping training. Along the line someone found you or you were able to pull information from another. Investing time and skill is my strong suit. Investigated the front office taking note of any guards that might pass. I knelt behind the office windows and crept into the office. I snatched it off the billboard wall, noticing a picture of my big sister on a torn newspaper article.

"Uni!" I whispered taking a look at the picture.

"Did you hear something?" Said another guard behind the wall of the office. Sweat dripped down my face hearing my commanding officer. I inched toward the hall and swiftly found my post before anyone could spot me. I posed as I did before the operative guards walked past me not talking note of what I'd done.

I later read the paper again out loud to myself in the _**: Ukraine due and notified has been transferred from D block to training abroad as a certified Nursing attendant over the English capitals. : **_

The written date was to warn out but not far off from the month they were taken away from home. Ukraine was safe. The one thought alone calmed me, but I had yet to search for my youngest sister. Whom I heard nothing about as of yet.

While I peered at the office door the walls echoed with ear piercing halls echoed bellows of last wishes and long nightmares that never end. Cold bodies of the once living lay dormant as if waiting for those they remembered.

My father's new boss, he used us and many others to do odd assignments. If someone isn't needed or what one might call at times disobedient they are "taken care of."

I was spared, but like I've mentioned, not everyone is as fortunate.

The rest of the day I kept thinking about home and what happened on the day me family and I were cease by the soldiers. I knocked out a few men on my way back to my cell and for that I was punished.

I acted up I regretted the decision. I ticked off the head of office they threw me in my cell block. Though any of the other trainees had spoken with the head operative I haven't seen or spoken with him. I knew nothing not even an name. His name was often spoken among the trained soldiers, whom I like to call those in cell blocks.

"Times up." Said an officer. My cell door swung opened. The officers flashed a bright light in my face.

"You are stronger than we thought." Said another officer.

" That was nothing ." I replied without a second thought.

"We'd like you to see someone." Said one of the disciplinary. The two soldiers after being ordered, dragged my weary body through dark halls. My boots, and scarf were the only things, I managed to cling onto. Everything else they took from me.

"Would you at least let me shower before seeing the boss?" I glanced a wild eye up at them with a chuckle. How I managed to joke at a time like this was beyond me.

"Here is your shower!" The men in dark coats doused me in a bucket of ice-cold water.

"Refreshing," I smiled with a mocked signature grin.

"The one with the light blonde hair, bring him to me." I could hear talking from the next room as they held me in front of the last room.

"Yes, Major Koll."

I was brought into a white room with brick walls and a single light. Inside there stood two other soldiers and one man seated behind a desk.

" Ah, yes ...here, he is the one with velvet royal eyes... tell me, what is your name boy?"

The head instructor smirked with more on his mind than the task at hand. His eyes traced the figure of the prisoner, and he neared for a closer look. Rising from his desk he took out a whip lifting the prisoners face to meet his own.

"I don't give out my name unless I get what I want." I clenched my teeth and glared darts into the instructors eyes.

"And what is that?" The major asked.

"Major Koll, was it? My two sisters are here, where are they?"

The man looked surprised, yet he was the one who sent me on odd missions. Up until that moment I never knew the mans name. Not until I heard one of the superiors say so among the halls.

"I'm afraid I cannot do that." He Replied tilting his hat.

Ivan quietly peered at the floor yet again. Suddenly the building was bombarded with civilians. The two soldiers standing on either side of Koll's desk jumped to the other side of the room with me.

"The rebellion has started!" Screamed the soldiers as they looked back at the gaping hole blown in the wall.

I didn't know it at the moment, but Koll was reassigned else where. He managed to escape the facility in midst of all the confusion. As for his current where about were unknown.

"What do you need Major Russia?" Spoke a soldier climbing into the hole in the wall with a pair of shaded glasses on.

"Major?" I peered over at the unknown soldier with surprise.

"Yeah, I'm promoting you. You're the only one I want to carry out this mission." Said the strange solider standing before the old bosses desk.

I looked at the man trying to picture his face, but his voice did seem familiar.

"What's the matter Russia? You haven't seen me, but I'm sure you've heard from me."

It took me a while to recognize his voice, yet it soon clicked.

There from a blow up brick wall where the man crawled from the other side of facility. A slightly tan man in large boots, squinted and rubbed the dirt off his sunglasses. He wore a tank top and a dark green hat with a red star on it. His pants where the same color as his hat. The scrawny man scratched his goatee and cheesed at me with a cigar between his lips.

"You know my name?" I pointed to myself.

"I know because I am the new officer of this training ground." The strange man spoke smugly.

"Mission sir?"

"Two missions! for the first one, I want you to seek out a man named Yao who is a servant to the emperor of China. The second request is also from the head of office. They want you...to take care of Officer Kol, who went rogue."

Yes sir... Officer...

"You may call me Sargent Pete." Saluted the old soldier.

"I am soldier Ivan Braginski. "I saluted and gave my name to the man who'd spoken with me since, I arrived at the cell block. It took me a while to remember him.

"...I found your sister and she stays with you." Pete pointed toward the steel doors.

Bella came into the room clinging on a tattered coat, when on closer inspection of it. I noticed it was my old coat that she held.

"Brother, I fought to get this back for you.!" She cried and clung to me.

Her eyes were not the same. They were distant. As she held me she shook and upon her face was a small scar.

Koll was my fathers' new boss he used us and many others to do odd assignments. If someone isn't needed or what one might call disobedient...

...Thank-full, we are alright, but like I've mentioned not everyone is as fortunate.

"Are you aright, Bella?"

"Yes, the soldier they..." Belarus peered back into the door way where the two soldiers stood and shuddered. So many things went on and out of this head quarters. So many things are over looked, under Koll's surveillance.

"Brother, I'm fine don't go doing anything foolish!" My sister screamed still clutching my coat.

Somehow... I couldn't help myself. Her voice called out to me again and again. I stormed through the doorway and raised my sights on the two clowns in front of me.

I managed to pull myself together exhausted, tormented, and lifeless. The same as my sisters presence since this war. I took a gun to one of their heads knocking one to the ground.

The other,...

"What did you do to my sister?" I pointed toward the doorway behind me.

"What who that girl is your sister?" Chuckled on the guards among the hall.

"My sister's face!" ... I lifted him off the ground and shut the steel door behind me. To think my sister is involved in any of this. Simply the thought of it made something in me snap.

I came back into the room more calm than I had ever been before. I shut the steel door when entering the room.

"I will take on this mission and return from China soon." I said nodding in agreement to the mission grabbing the necessary things I needed before heading out.

"Good to hear it, take care soldier." Pete grunted.

My sister and I walked hand in hand the snow for miles waiting for the train. Both of us wearing our mission suits. As for myself, I chose to wear my father's scarf, and carried my nations coat in arms.

_... I left all wounds opened while walking away from the organization. My boots left a trail of red behind me. _

Next Chapter: Away from the shadows


	4. Chapter 4

** Chapter four**: Away from the shadows

We made it to the borders and entered undetected. During this time in war there were secret planes stored at the a privet plane we queitly landed near night fall in China. _Well... not so much on the quiet side._

"We are here...big brother !" My sister shook me as I had fallen asleep during our plane ride.

"Alright, I said with a smile and lifted the hatch." My sister peeked over sleepily at me after hearing the piolet announce our stop. I should have prepared Belarus from the start with a warning, but then decided it was too much fun to suddenly drop from the plane.

"Ok." I opened the side of the plane before the driver gave me the sign.

"Wait what are we doing?... No!" Belarus screamed as we flew thousands of feet from the plan to the ground in a single parachte.

Thank-fully she pulled the rip cord and we landed safely within a barrel of straw.

"A demon!" Shouted an elderly woman taken by surprise when I walked out of the berrel of straw.

"No-no, lady please." I begged a passing older woman who beat me with her straw farmer's hat.

Bella caught her breath and bowed asking the lady to stop. "**Dui bu gi**." (...**I'm sorry**.)

Apparently, my sister had some training of her own. Belarus was not all different she is still the headstrong girl, I once knew. Excpet now she acquired more skill that she could possibly use to use against me. While I pondered about this I watched the waves move gracefully in a nearby well. Belarus stood talking with the older woman wearing a straw hat with a olive green shirt and pants. The woman smiled and pointed to the main road further from the open farm we landed on. I had been tipped off what the Koll's operatives appeared

Shortly after Bella's stomach groweled, so we had no choice but to find someone to point us to the nearst bar, or resterant. Belarus bowed and laughed nervously holding her stomach. "Ah..ha-ha... **Xie-xie**." (**Thank-you**.) We were only shown the main road and nothing more from there.

"Right, so we have a long way from here let's go Bella."

"Big brother," Belarus pointed to the grounds of lifted earth.

I nodded. The feilds might have been quiet, but there were other things to be mindful of. Just then we seen a passing car headed down the road with an open trunk for carrying cargo. I lit up at the oppertunity and picked my sister running up to the car.

China to me was a beautiful country. The rolling hills, large area's of land and mountain sides, among the pass. Breath takings monuments one you could see streached out along the border, known as the Great wall. (**Aka The Great wall of China.**) It appeared peaceful along the country side or at least on the side we were on. In complete silence my sister and I hitched a ride from the county side to the city. The locals seemed friendly enough, but it wasn't them, I concerned myself with. What lingered in the city lurking in the shadows urged me to finsish my mission.

We hid until we reached a fork in the road before the city limits and the farmlands we jumped from the black stainless cargo car.

Everything from the paved streets to the anicnet tiles and structures of the buildings surrounding the city. The streets in all lit up by lanteren of red and gold at night agaisnt the moon the sceans are quite romantic. The light of the morning just off the horizon as night changed to day a blur of colors just above the trees.

We adjusted to our new surroundings and took time scouting out the area. We split up to cover more ground. I knew the danger in doing so, but I do not worry. Since we both had training. Belarus with a specialty in weapantry, her skills revolved around knives.

The streets desolved us a swe split usp amongst the crowd. there was laughter, calls from street venders, and wheeled karts much like modern day taxis. One's filled with food, and others who carried people kind of like kings on a throne. I walked into a nearby shop where I adapted and perchaced a large farmers hat made of bamboo. Laying low I walked into the shop trying to look on amongst the locals. I wore tan mandarin jacket and shoes both perchaced for the sake of the mission. I made note of any suspicious looking characters around town. I watched many but found only three jolting around town as if they knew something the rest didn't. I lost the other two since they split up amongs the crowded town square. I followed a local wearing a long silk red maderine jacket, and past a fountain full of golden coins.

He bought bread a local vender sharing what he bought, with a small local boy who was just short of change. Then I followed his tracks to a local shop just on the edge of town. Upon closer observation I he had brown eyes, and long hair tied back just past his shoulder. He peered at the merchandise where

Inside the store there were animals made of paper on display instead of hand crafted glass dolls back home. Among the lower shevles were many small glass and stuffed stuffed panda bears, and mini decoration shaped like dragons made of jade. The man I observed peered at the glass bear but then gazed over at the mini jade dragon. Excited the merchant wearing a large black robe, miniature hat and pointed goatee smiled at his customer. However long the man in red gazed at the glass panda, he picked up a jade dragon instead.

"I want this one!"

"Good choice as always, Yao."

My face lit up at the mention of a name, but I kept quite no drawing attention. The one wearing the dark red maderine jacket called Yao hadn't noticed, he was being followed by one other. A small boy nibbling on a single piece of sweet bread. The small boy only held too large peices of bread and dropped one gawking at window merchandise. The boy ran back onto the street after the bun, he let go still chewing on the small bun cake.

Yao abruptly turned hearing shrieks of street venders and others among town alike. Midway through town on it's way to make a shipment it drove at full speed. Thinking on his feet Yao lept out of the shop after the tiny boy.

The small boy clutched to Yao's arms not completely aware of the danger that took place and sobbed in shock.

Yao sighed placing the boy safely on the ground in front of him. "Did that small peice of cake really mean that much to you?"

The boy nodded looking up at the taller and older Chinese man. Yao danced around like a duck blushing slightly as other saw him and chuckled.

Needless to say the boy laughed and clapped. "Please don't run into the streets like that again." Yao asked tiny boy and gave the lad the last sweet bread bun.

Intrigued by this character I purchaced the glass panda and whisked away into the streets. My eyes never left Yao's side as I trailed close trying not to be seen. He was quick on his feet stopping just before an dead end allyway. In from the shadows, a figure crept in on Yao and seezed him.

A man in white walked out of an abandoned building holding a sword against Yao's neck.

"Don't move." Said the man in a white millitary uniform. He steadily inched around the neck of the older Chinese man, who stood completely still. Turning his sword and sheathed his blade as he pressed the blade's handle under Yao's chin.

I could see that the other was a Japanese man, as I inched a bit closer peeking around the corner of a nearby building .

"Kiku... you startled me." The other sighed a little trying to relax seeing the other draw back his sword.

"You are late!" Kiku growled.

(**No**,) "**Bu**', I was just distracted." Yao spoke holding his neck and rubbing it as he could feel a small bit of pain.

"See that you remember... who is in command here." Kiku narrowed his expression into a sneer and struck Yao in the stomach. The Japanese gaurd walked off with another memeber Just as that happened another memeber walked out of the building. One dressed in full black and a red sash. It must have been one of Kolls's opperatives. I rose to the occasions and climbed the nearby building up a fire escape.

"I've got one clear shot at him," Ivan lifted his rifle and aimed at his target. His hands shook with arms in hand. I recongnized the opperative, a former trainee who ran the troops and one of the same men who brought me to war. Peering through my sniper lens I layed down on my stomach watching from the roof top. I even remembered the scar on the left side of his face as he smirked at the two to his right. There wasn't any time to waste as I sat upon the rooftop aiming for his head.

_"Steady, I will do this because I must." _I whispered outloud to myself.

I watched targets on the move and followed them in my long range lens. At that moment I felt conflicted not for the end of a bottle or what could be condiered a swig. The problem rose between the end of a sniper. I signed and placed the weapon at his side. Sitting on the rooftops, he lifted his hands up only to continuely fidget. I opened my coat serching his top left pocket for a small canteen of Vodka.

"Hey!"

"Shit, I've been spotted."

I grabbed my sniper and shot the tower guard in the foot. Tracking the area I found a ladder escape, and nearby pipe on the end of building. The pipe broke and fell onto the ground just short of the half broken ladder. I used the pipe to slide off the building making my escape. Leaving the broken pipe on the ground was clear evidence that I was around. I picked up the pipe, and stuck it in my travel bag for safe keeping. I then stuffed the long tailed black coat into my bag and ran away in a manderine jacket used to blend in with the locals. I slipped away trailing not far behind into the shadow and way into the light.

**Next Chapter: Keeper of the glass Panda **


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter five: ****The keeper of the glass panda**

I ran into the light of a clearing. A ways from the city across an un paved road, following stalks of bamboo along the way. Up ahead a large building stood behind the line of the city and the unpaved roads. I watched from the outside of what appeared to be a large training facility. While watching I took note of the drill instructor as he shouted commands. A small group inside began to fight amongst eachother. Until the end of class when they all bowed and greeted eachother a farewell. The class left, and I slipped into the back door to take a look around. Little did I know on close inspection of the place that I wasn't alone. I took a seat upon a small wooden bench. Inside there were wooden floors,red and black decor. Red subsided upon the walls, but black stips of paint among the borders on the lining. Golden lights and bulbs for the round lamps. Inside the floors were leveled. The higher level nearest the front entrance doors and the back doors the lower level, booth floors in the same room, but divided back to front of the facility. No-one could get in or out without knealing to leave or enter the two rooms from the front entrance. Mid center of the room there was the most room between the room.

"What are you doing here?" Called a voice from behind a rice paper door. The door opened by the individual sliding the door open and walking up and into the room from a third unknown entrance.

The man glared at me standing on the upper floor before the entrance. I stood on the lower ends in the room mid center of the wooden floors. I smiled truely unknowing of the mess I had gotten myself into.

"What is this place a training facility? " I spoke in Russian, forgetting myself for a split second.

The man frowned and drove to the ground putting his fist up in a guard.

Here for a second thought I was a traveler, an outsider or what one might say someone who is new to their surroundings.

"**Wǒ jīng shí nǐ**?" ( **May I spar with you**?) I asked with a bow as I seen many of the students of this facility do. Suprised at myself for remembering the right word for fight, as I was drilled to remember the language from the intelligence base.

Yao, stared at me as if startled that I knew his language. The immortal chinese nation crouched and nodded.

I ran forward as my opponet grinned which made me stop in my tracks. He stayed perfectly still watching me. I charged forward again, throwing a punch seeing him dodge with ease. I kept throwing punch after punch as we both took turns ducking and dodging. Yao grinned which exasperated me to a fault. No matter what I did he dodged my attack, until finally he sat down and closed his eyes.

My eye twitched as I stood trying to figure out just what strange man was up to.

We stood in the middle of the room, neither one of us moved. I panted with exhaustion as

fists flew back and forth in a dance until we both landed a hit. China hit Russia with a right hook and Russia with a left one to eithers face. We both fell to the floor. I was the only one tired.

"**Nǐ lèile ma**?" (**You tired yet**?) Yao asked with his legs folded and his arms at rest in his lap.

I shook my head side to side, in an negtive fashion insisting that I had not given up. And what did I do that for?

I moved closer still until our faces were just an inch apart, and I gazed deep within his dark brown eyes.

The kung fu instructor sighed stating. "**Hǎo ba...nǐ wèn ba**." (**Okay... you asked for it**.)

"What...?" Yao sat silent staring straight forward as if distracted by something. This in term sparked my curiousity, and I took a step forward looking down at Yao. I waved a hand in his face, but he did not flinch.

"You are not bad but do not leave yourself open for attack."Yao chuckled and switly flung a punch to my smaller man sitting on the floor stood up and began to walk away.

"Yao Wang." That's my name in case you are wondering.

"Not bad?" I questioned both of us speaking back and forth in chinese.

"Yes, are looking to be a pupil?" Wang nodded, getting a glimps at me curiously.

"Tell me, what brings you here? And why are you following me?"

"You knew?" I asked trying to act surprised.

"I noticed you at the shop...are you a traveler?" " Yao crossed his arms frowning up at the other nation. It wasn't as if he hadn't seen strange newcommers amongst the streets, Every night since the war more visitors had arrived.

I noded, "Sort of."

"Travelers always make a mess of things." Yao, traced hand over his right eye and covered it. He passed a glace over at Ivan with his left eye.

"I am not here to cause trouble." I held up my palms as if pleading with the other of my word.

Yao, gazed over at me and nodded. "As a traveler, I would tell you to leave, but as a student...

"**Da**?" (**Yes**...?)

...as a student... If you ever need a safe place, you may find a safe place here."

"Where would I be able to find you?" I asked Yao, but before I got the chance to receive an answer he wondered off again. He dissapeared almost into thin air.

I wondered endlessly around town, trying to find bar or pub...any local place to eat, and most importantly, my sister. I found myself hungry myself and found the scent of food wafting in the cold night air. Food... but where it was coming from only my nose could tell. I followed the smell to a large part of town before what almost appeared to be a fortress. A large castle or building with a wonderfully crafted. Almost, but not as simailar as the palaces of the royal families at home in Russia. Like a home built for a king of some sort.

In that same nearby part of town Belarus sat at a noodle hut, and ate a beef bowl.

"Big brother, have you found anything?" She whispered while chewing on a crafted bowel of noodles.

"**Niyet**,(**no**) and... what are you doing on this side of town?" I asked having serched almost every part of the city for my silly little sister.

"It's alright most people here keep to themselves, here there are farm lands." Belarus pointed to the endless feilds, and in the other direction large crops of rice.

"Is that so?" I hunched over the small table she sat at frowning.

"The people are quiet generous, and don't mind a traveler like me. " My sister smiled, and pointed to herself.

"A traveler?" I questioned.

"Order up, for miss Belarus..." Yao stood behind the noodle stand with a wok in hand and I starred back at him. We both stood inches away from eachother wearing blank expressions, not sure what to say or think.

The moment passed, when Yao smiled wearily, "Hello again."

"What brings you here?" I questoned looking at Yao, and back at my sister who took another bowl of shrimp and dark rice.

"This is his resterant... what..? Do you two know eachother?" Belarus said pulling apart a fresh pair of chopsticks.

"We've met before... let's go sister, we have to leave now." I tugged on Bella's arm as she snatched the bowel of food off the stand counter.

"I am not finished yet..." Bella whinned and grabbed what was left of her ordered meal.

"You've... been talking with the ememy."

"but ... brother the food!" Bella exclaimed with hearts in her eyes.

"Yes, Bella, I'm sure you love a man who can cook." Mocked tugging her well away from the town square.

My sister and I left after I payed a tab, and left an tip along with a small note. The note written and left behind read: **"**_**Meet me back at there**__._**~" **I left it under the weight of the _small glass panda_ upon the resterant counter.

"We are not supose to be leaving a trace behind, what are you doing?" I nearly raised my voice to my sister trying not to pull too much attention towards us.

"Yes, brother. I stood by the river and fed the birds, they are so exotic."

"That bird there?" I squinted and pointed to a tall white peacoack looking animal, with red and black among it's beak.

The bird squaked back as if agrrivated at the human that pointed at him. I rolled my eyes and huffed outload. "_It figures, _I muttered outloud to myself. _That bird has a personality only my sister could love."_

"A boy by the river called them ...'**Qǐzhòngjī'** (...**Cranes**)." Bellarus spoke as she stroked the crest of the birds head. I pulled from my bag a small souvenir.

"Yahh! Big brother what the heck is that on your face?" My sister fell back in awe at the strange paper animal. She almost jumped out of her skin falling back in a bank of snow.

"Really?" Her brother nodded as he pulled something from behind his back. I pulled a little something out of my bag and placed it on my face. I turned to my little sister, revealing a strange red fish like creature with a large golden beard.

"It is called a Dragon, and it is a festive mask." I coyly grinned like a fox.

"Got ya!" The larger nation pointed at the mask and pointed back at his sister with a chuckle.

**Next Chapter: A meeting of nations **

_A/n: Sorry for the since long dely. I will try to update soon. Every little bit counts. Thanks for reading. _


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter six**: **A meeting of nations **

I stood in the window of a hotel while my sister slept in the next room. A friend of a women Belarus talked with, lent us a room for the night. I slept with one eye open, when I found time to sleep. We stayed for two nights and for several days there wasn't any sign of Yao anywhere. One night nearest the outer city limits, shots could be heard well away from the north towers.

I stood watch peering through my hotel window with a guarded pistol in my upper coat pocket. My eye lids rose and fell concentrating on a flame outside a lantern strung up along the city rooftops.

In the blink of an eye, I turned from the comfort of my room, to the edge of a cliffs.

My surroundings where silent,I gazing down upon my sister in former light. Rubbing my eyes in disbelief she had grown small. No more than the little sister I know today, but much younger.

"Brother Russia!" She pointed and waved me over from the cliffs. I followed close behind at a steady pace for the ground almost solid covered in thick snow. I myself at my current age dressed in the former coat and scarf passed on by my father winter.

"Bella do not run off..." I said trailing far behind trying to catch up in a huff.

"You worry too much." Belarus grinned and wandered off into a dark forest.

I found myself lost soon after following her. I chased after the figure whom, I thought was my sister. The light of the moon revealed Yao's face instead. Yao stood staring blankly,at me and pointed in my direction. Both of us stood knee-deep in snow at a distance.

A swift cold wafted past us one and cut right through me with a sharp pain. I stood my ground, and once again found myself surrounded by a clear familiar tundra.

We both stood center of a clearing and in his hand appeared a weapon. In my hand peering down at the cold heavy steel that I held up in protest. My hand trembling with the weight of a weapon us two in a hesitant standoff. All but the gleams of our eyes widen at the itch of a single finger upon the trigger.

Before either of us could act from either side of the mountain top one word could be heard all around.

"Fire!"

Our weapons dropped at a distance between us in a cloud of smoke.

That very same phrase woke me at the slightest sound of a mans cry. The sound echoed from downstairs just forefront of the building. I jumped with wide eyes staring outside the window at a mass of people across the hotel building putting out a small fire. That same fire, I watched dance dangling on wire above the city in a fallen lantern.

"We will have to leave soon, Bella... Wake up."

"What's that?" Belarus woke up rubbing her eyes.

That part of the city was no longer available, and it was time to move further away. A part of the city was left in shambles. No doubt the next time, there would be more happening.

That half of the city, occupied and through intelligence reports did we know, Koll was behind it all. Him and his operatives drew closer, and took over the city slowly but surely. No doubt even those he fought, along side of were not even his allies, but those who at first appeared to be an ally. When remarkably they were not any help to each other, in the slightest.

We fled to a place only I knew about, being invited. My sister and I hid out there in the now empty and less occupied dojo. Near the area, to the farthest part of the city others found shelter moving further out, away from the inner city. The throne taken siege by a solider in white with a sword at his side

Until the city returned to normal, we stayed at the dojo. It was there we received yet another report, that Koll was recruiting soldiers on either side. It's all in game of who was with whom, sides were chosen. We stayed there and I searched the area, with Belarus and the rest on our side gathered in an red army fleet.

The daylight hit when foot steps could be heard from the other direction the city. I headed towards our part of the city upon investigating the overrun part of the city occupied by the other soldiers dress in either white or green. They marched in a line, foot soldiers dressed in olive green coats. One of them just head of the second row cast a glace my way.I stealthily moved among rooftops and between walls of the inner city. There I thought I could not be seen.

I jumped from railings and fire escapes, down to the farthest city streets, where we the union now occupied land. I sat among the bars, left into the city, and had a drink, among comrades alike. Those of which joined the army of red, when sitting down tapping the wooden frame of the bar table top, one other sat beside me.

"Nihao, Ivan." A man, dressed in an olive green coat and long black hair pulled in a single braid.

Though, after a while, it startled me, being called such by none other than my sister, family alike. I replied with passing a glance before lifting a glass of rice wine to my lips. "Hello... again, good to see you." I smiled with a soft grin.

"I received your letter." The solider in the olive-green coat looked up revealing his face after placing the glass panda upon the bar table.

"Oh, have you?"

"It's been a while, Ivan."Immediately I recognized Yao's voice, and turned my head only slightly to peek over at him. Yao's face had scars, across his cheeks, and his eye as he shut both eyes, bore that same notice able scar upon his eyelid. I downed myself streams of liquor, thinking back and shutting my eyes in a dizziness. Having Yao there, brought back memories, of a time once before, subtle and still they return behind my eyes, making an image. Feeling light headed after almost several glasses after my fifth, more images left behind, rise to the surface of my mind. I traced the side of my head casting aside pain reaching my eyes as they flared open.

"In truth it has Yao!" Each time, I or Yao spoke, I lifted my hand for yet another glass, after downing several shot glasses of the strongest rice wine, in all of china.

"We should discuss over this token that..."

"S-sure..." I replied swayed to and fro with a glass plummeting out my hand and crashed upon the store floor, with a clang.

"Ivan!" Yao snapped his neck breaking attention from the bartender, discovering the empty seat beside him.

The clutter of the crowd behind us silenced, by a loud echoing thump. All grew cold with only the dark gathering.

There on that same road we met during the winter and we met yet again, on this part of town.

_**I stopped to second guess, if Yoa would agree to joining sides? Or had all the fighting changed us both as nations?**_

_**Next Chapter: Damage & Rough territories **_


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